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In 645, Diarmait, King of Ireland, granted this site to the monks of Clonmacnoise after they prayed—successfully—
for his victory in battle. Not long afterwards, St Monaghan, a respected scholar, left Clonmacnoise. Journeying here,
he founded a monastery at Tuaim-nEirc, an island of dry land surrounded by bogs. Monaghan perished in the Yellow
Plague of 664. Since then, this area has been known as Leamonaghan: ʻthe grey lands of Monaghanʼ.
St Mella's, Kell
As the decades passed, the monastery grew in importance. Peat works have uncovered a network of wooden roads, or
toghers, that were used by pilgrims and other travellers who crossed the bog to reach this site.
Line of monastic
enclosure
(no longer visible)
The isolated monastery experienced a golden age during the twelfth century. These years saw the building of the church
with its beautiful Romanesque doorway, as well as the creation of St Monaghanʼs Shrine.
Togher
St Mella’s Kell
Holy Well
& Tree
To Ballycumber
& Boher
A small stone oratory named after St Monaghanʼs mother, St Mella, was
probably build during the 1100s. The one roomed building is located
within a rectangular walled enclosure called Kell. It may have provided
a refuge from the bustling monastery.
The war-torn thirteenth century took its toll on the church. However, its fortunes revived in the fifteenth century, when it
was patronised by the Mac Coghlans, a ruling Gaelic family. For the next 200 years, the church became embroiled in the
politics of this family, and was sometimes a target of its enemies.
During the Rebellion of 1641, the church was damaged. By 1682, the church was no longer used as a place of worship.
However the holy well and tree continue to be a site of pilgrimage and prayer. The feast day of St Monaghan is celebrated
on 24 January each year and St Monaghanʼs Shrine is still venerated at the Catholic Church in Boher.
St Monaghan’s Road
A stone flagged togher (road)
connects St Monaghanʼs church
with St Mellaʼs Cell. Surveys
show it has a deep foundation
and is in an excellent state of
preservation.
St. Monaghan's House
During the 1400s, the ʻHouse
of Monaghanʼ may have been a
residence for the parish priest.
Graveyard
Early Christian Monastic Sites in Offaly
Meath
Ruins of
St. Monaghan's
Church
Start of
the Pilgrim's
Path walk to Boher/
Clonmacnoise
Holy Well and Tree
The holy well and tree are at the
beginning of St Monaghanʼs Road, just
at the back of the graveyard. To this
day, people pray and seek cures during
visits to the well and rag tree.
Castle (now demolished)
During the fifteenth century,
Leamonaghan Castle was one of ʻseven
fair castlesʼ owned by the Mac Coghlans,
a ruling Gaelic family. “Mac Coghlan
Country” included most of the barony
of Garrycastle, as well as the
villages of Ferbane, Banagher
and Cloghan. The castle was
demolished in the 1950s.
You are
here
To Pullough
Roscommon
Galway
Croghan Hill
Leamonaghan
Durrow
Clonmacnoise
Gallen
Tullamore
Rahan
Lynally
Killeigh
O ff a l y
Kildare
Letter
Banagher
Drumcullen
Kinnitty
Birr
Tipperary Seir
Kieran
Laois
St Monaghan’s Shrine
A national treasure, St Monaghanʼs Shrine, is thought to have been
made at Clonmacnoise around 1130. Made of yew, it is shaped like
an early Christian oratory. The ornate gold covering was probably
commissioned by Ruaidhri Ua Conchobhair (Rory OʼConnor), King
of Ireland, in 1166.
To Ferbane
You are here Westmeath
Kilkenny
A Conservation Plan for this site has been prepared and is available on
www.offaly.ie/offalyheritage or from the Offaly Library Serrvice or Heritage Council
Originally 52 bronze figures were attached to the shrine; today only
11 remain. The shrine, which contains bones believed to be those of
St Monaghan, is on display nearby at the Catholic Church in Boher.
www.offaly.ie/offalyheritage
This monument is protected under section 12 (3) of the National Monuments (Ammendment) Act 1994.